


Stay Here or Take Me With You

by parka_girl



Category: Beast (Band), Infinite (Band), K-pop, MBLAQ
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 16:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1272775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parka_girl/pseuds/parka_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joon is an android, Doojoon is one of his guards (Hoya is another). Doojoon and Joon develop feelings and Doojoon must decide if he (and Hoya) will rescue Joon from his fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay Here or Take Me With You

**Author's Note:**

> All the definitions/etc that Joon uses to understand people/the world around him are from my use of duckduckgo and google searches.

**Joon 2.0**  
Joon only has memories of the room he's in. The sterile white walls, the bright overhead lights, the soft hum of the air filtration system. He doesn't know how he knows what walls are, or why the lights are bright or even what an air filtration system is. But he does know. The same way he knows how putting one foot in front of the other is walking and that he doesn't have to breathe but he does it anyway. 

A door opens and someone, a woman, enters the room. Again, he understands what the door and the woman are, but not how he knows. He sits on the bed, cross legged, watching the woman. She fusses over monitors filled with numbers and letters Joon has no knowledge of. When she leaves, he will study them. He understands studying is what one must do, but not why. 

The silence of the room is broken only by the woman's voice. At first Joon thinks she's talking to him, but when she does not look at him, he notices something in her ear (he knows what an ear is used for, but he doesn't know how he knows). There are others, he surmises logically, and they, not him, are the focus of her words. 

"This one is doing it, too." The woman says, fiddling with a monitor as she talks. There is a long pause and then she speaks again. "I thought they'd fixed it. I'd been told they'd fixed it." 

She glances at Joon now, but it is as though he's not really there. He doesn't move, not even his eyes and she turns away. 

"I know it's not aware, but it's totally following me with it's eyes." A shorter pause this time, then she goes on, "I understand that it's just a reflex, but that doesn't mean it isn't creepy." 

She makes a noise which Joon will later understand is laughter. But he is currently trying to reconcile the fact that he is the same as the it the woman is referring to. It's confusing (an emotion, which he feels, but doesn't understand, which is also confusing and this leads him briefly in a circle of unanswerable questions until he shuts that line of thinking off) because he knows that he is a he and not an it. A he being a man or a boy (he is unclear on the difference, at least for now) and he knows, the same way he knows everything else, that he is, in fact a he. And not an it. He wants to correct her, but as he replays the scene in his head and analyzes the tone of her voice, he chooses to say nothing at all. 

She dislikes him, though he does not entirely understand what that means. Except that he knows it is why she doesn't look at him. But he also knows, from her voice (he wonders, for a moment, what his sounds like, and longs to test it, but remains silent as ever), that she is scared of him. As if he is dangerous (a concept he is unclear on, as with so many other things). But when she finally leaves, he realizes he does understand fear. He is both an it and a he, even though he believes he's just a he. A man (or a boy). But she, the woman, does not feel the same. And when he thinks of her, of her ideas about him, he feels his chest tighten. His brain tells him, in it's logical way, that this is a human feeling. And then he knows, as if suddenly there were a label pinned to his chest, that this is fear. 

He pushes it aside and replays the woman's visit over again. When he closes his eyes, the scene plays out again as if the woman was really there. He replays it over and over until the only thing he can focus on are her first words: _this one is doing it, too_. This one. Logically he believes this means that there are others. Of what, he's not sure. Of him? His eyes snap open, the room is dimmed (he looks up, the lights have not moved, they are just less bright). More of him. He lifts up a hand and looks at it. He has skin, like she does. He unfolds his feet out from under him and touches his ankles. He could not see hers, but he imagines they are not too different. 

A beeping rouses him from his thoughts, reminding him that he is alone in this room, but not really alone (but what is alone, he thinks). He slides off the bed, taking steps gingerly, only to find he can walk just fine (walking, one foot in front of the other. His mind shows him running, jumping and swimming, though he isn't clear why). He steps toward the first monitor. Strings and strings of numbers scroll past him and he has no idea what they are. He makes his way toward the second monitor and there are something his brain calls graphs. They are charting something. When he lifts an arm, one of graphs change. He experiments with his limbs, watching the lines change. He gets bored and walks around the room. 

He hears the woman's voice in his head, telling whoever was on the receiving of her voice that it was just reflex. His brain explains that a reflex is an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus. His brain, which seems to be adapting (changing, he hears himself explain) rather quickly, fills in the blanks. His eyes following her were a reflex, according to the woman. But Joon knows better. He was watching her. He was learning (a result of studying something, a concept that suddenly makes sense, though he doesn't understand why, yet). 

The wall, when he reaches out and touches it, is cool and smooth against the palm of his hand. He presses the wall, but it doesn't move and so he drops his hand to his side. He turns around and notices that the back of one of the monitors is polished like a mirror (a picture of a mirror suddenly appears off to the side, he turns his head, but the mirror moves with him, which is when he realizes only he can see it, when he blinks, it's gone). He steps in close and sees himself (he _knows_ it's himself, the same way he knows about walking and breathing). He reaches up and touches his fingers to his face, then against the back of the monitor. He's about to touch his face again when a door opens. 

Joon turns, startled (a human feeling, his brain explains, but he's already processed that). A young man is standing in the door. Unlike the woman, he's looking at Joon. There's a look on his face and Joon doesn't have the ability to understand what it means. Facial expressions, his brain tells him, are one or more motions or positions of the muscles beneath the skin of the face. Which doesn't help him, because even though he knows what it means, he doesn't know what they mean on this man's face. 

"Please," the man says, "follow me." 

Joon feels surprised that he is being address, but his brain tells him not to show it, so he doesn't. Instead, he nods (how does he know how to do this, he wonders). The man turns toward the door, glancing back at Joon, and then they walk out into the hall. There is another man standing there, waiting. 

"Why are you so polite to them?" The other man asks. 

The one who entered Joon's room replies, and there's something about his voice that Joon finds comforting, "because they're not all the same. He looks different, they all do." 

The other man looks back at Joon with a facial expression Joon's brain suddenly registers as disgust (an aversive reaction that involves withdrawing from a person or object with strong expressions of revulsion). Joon looks away, at the back of the other man's head. His dark hair sticks out at odd angles and Joon likes the way it looks. Like, his brain explains, is to regard with favor; have a kindly or friendly feeling for something (or someone, Joon supplies). He tilts his head, studying the back of the man's head some more. Until they come to a stop. The man turns to look at Joon and for a moment their gazes lock and Joon is staring: and his brain is telling him to stop, because it is rude (disrespect for and failure to behave within the context of a society or a group of people's social laws or etiquette), so he stops (and attempts to ignore the urge to learn about society, social laws and etiquette).

"This way, please." The man says. He points toward a room with an open door. He walks in and Joon follows. 

The room is different than his other. The walls are the same, the lights are, too. But there is no bed nor any monitors. Instead there are chairs and a table. He wants to touch everything (he knows what touch is without even being told, now he is adapting, too), but refrains (rudeness, his brain reminds him). 

"Sit." The man says and Joon does. He likes the man's voice. He doesn't mind doing what he's told. 

Once he's sitting, he looks up and finds the man watching him. When their gazes meet again, the man smiles (a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles near both ends of the mouth and by flexing muscles throughout the mouth) and Joon tries to smile back. He is unsure if it works, but the smile on the man's faces gets bigger after Joon tries his own smile. Then suddenly there's a noise and the man's smile vanishes as if it was never there. 

Another voice, deeper and much, much less friendly. "Yoon Doojoon, you may go now." The voice says and Joon follows the sound toward the door. An older man, much older than the man he was smiling with (Yoon Doojoon, his brain supplies), is standing there, watching. There is disapproval (possession or expression of an unfavorable opinion) on his face. Joon thinks it is not unlike the disgust shown by Yoon Doojoon's companion (a word his brain supplies, though it feels wrong, even though Joon doesn't understand why). 

The man places something on the table, but Joon is watching Yoon Doojoon. He is standing in the doorway, watching. There is an expression on his face that even his brain cannot figure out. Joon watches as someone grabs Yoon Doojoon's arm, tugging at him. Yoon Doojoon turns away for a moment, then looks back into the room. This time when their gazes connect, he gives Joon a smile. Joon has no idea what it means, but it fills him with comfort (a feeling he's had before, from Yoon Doojoon's voice, but it is definable now. Comfort, his brain supplies, is the ability to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to someone. His brain also adds that comfort is Yoon Doojoon). 

The voice of the man interrupts his thoughts and so he misses it when Yoon Doojoon leaves. The door is shut when he glances back over. And then the man commands all of his attention. He turns back to the man, the table and object on the tablet. 

"Read." The man demands. 

Joon stares blankly at the object in front of him, until he lets his brain fill it in. A tablet (there are two kinds, his brain says, one that you write in (Joon does not yet understand writing) and a small computer. Joon surmises this is the latter, as thinking of writing shows something called paper and a pen, neither of which are in front of him). The man reaches across the table and taps something on the tablet, a string of letters comes up. On closer study, Joon realizes that the letters are group together to form what his brain explains are words. And then he understands what reading is. He blinks once, twice and the groups of letters suddenly makes sense and he finds he knows how to read (cognitive process of decoding symbols to derive meaning from text). 

**Yoon Doojoon**  
He stands outside the room where he left the Joon 2.0, the newest model. He's alone, the other guard whose name Doojoon never remembers, has already gone back to other duties. But Doojoon is required to stay, in case Joon 2.0 (he hates calling him that, especially since this one, this Joon, seems to be the most sentient) causes trouble. He steps through another door into a small room. There are already several people in lab coats in the room, they do not even notice him, which is just fine with Doojoon. He'd rather avoid being noticed. He looks at the wall, covered in a huge plasma screen, and see Joon (no more 2.0) sitting at a table facing Doctor Kim, the lead scientist on this project. 

Doctor Kim is trying to get Joon to read. Doojoon crosses his arms and watches the screen. Joon is staring at the door (at the spot where Doojoon had just stood, he thinks to himself) until the Doctor brings his attention to the tablet on the table. Doojoon swears that the doctor is trying to trip Joon up, but Doojoon has worked with too many of the previous versions of Joon to be certain that it'll work. And he finds he's absurdly pleased when it doesn't. He watches, finding himself flooded with pride, when he can tell that Joon is reading. 

"Remarkable." Mutters someone, but Doojoon doesn't look to find out who it is. He just stares at Joon. His perfectly formed face, his skin which Doojoon wants to touch because he needs to know if it's as real as it looks (even though he's pretty sure it is). This Joon is the first one he hadn't seen earlier in the process. He'd been transferred to another project, one that was almost finished and the company had needed another guard they could trust (Doojoon doesn't ask too many questions and that seems to endear him with people, even though he hates working here). 

The best part about this Joon, about Joon 2.0 (which Doojoon hopes is the last version, but he's scared about this, too, because this Joon seems the most human, the most real and he's already attached and he's barely even dealt with him), is his facial expressions. His face is perfectly framed by fine, dark hair and Doojoon could just stare forever. He tries to think of all the non-disclosure agreements he signed, back when he was first hired. Before he knew what he was getting into, but nothing is able to distract him from Joon. 

Another voice brings him back to the present. "This one might be the one." A woman's voice. Doojoon wants to turn now, but doesn't. He wants to hear this conversation and can't bring attention to himself. They don't usually talk amongst themselves when guards are around. He sinks back against the wall, still able to watch Joon on the screen, but also disappearing in the shadows of the room. 

"It seems human enough." Comes another voice. Doojoon stares at Joon and thinks, he is human. All it took, Doojoon realizes, was Joon's attempt at smiling. He's fucked, he thinks quietly to himself. Royally fucked and he could lose his job over this, but he's always hated working here, after all.

"They made it fresh this time, no more recycled parts from previous versions." A pause and then laughter. "It certainly is an improvement on earlier models, especially Joon 1.1." 

Bitterness sweeps through Doojoon. Joon 1.1 had malfunctioned in a horrible, painful way that Doojoon hadn't really gotten over yet. He'd, for lack of a better word, gone insane and destroyed a lab. Doojoon had found him. If Joon 1.1 had been able to cry and scream, Doojoon thinks he would've. But those features only came later. He thinks hateful and rude thoughts toward the scientists in the room with him, but says nothing. They don't think of any of the Joons as anything other than robots. But Doojoon knows better. He's spent the most time with all of them. 

"Nurse Kang was right, there's more to this one than the others." Another woman says. "She swears this one can think for itself." 

More laughter. "They haven't programmed that yet, have they?" Silence as everyone's thinking and then laughter again. 

"Joon 2.0 would never make it out of the facility if that was the case." An older voice says, one of the head scientists along with Doctor Kim. "If Joon 2.0 can successfully complete all of his tasks, he'll be reprogrammed and sent into the field." 

Doojoon feels his heart stop and he has to stop himself from gasping for air. He's never known the full extent of the Joon project, but he has a feeling he's about to find out. He clenches his hands into fists at his side, forcing himself into calmness he doesn't feel. He focuses on the way Joon's hair falls just above his eyes, as he listens. 

"I forget," another voice, a younger man, says. "Are the Joons the military ones?" 

The older scientist answers softly, almost too soft for Doojoon to hear. "If Joon 2.0 is successful, he will be. His programming will be rewritten and he'll be used for infiltration." 

Doojoon feels the walls of the room start to close in on him. He knows where this is going, now. He remembers the conversations he'd overheard, while helping out with earlier Joon models. He stares at the Joon on the screen on the wall and finds his heart is aching in a painful sort of way. He knows what this Joon will be used for. He will be wiped (no memories of Doojoon, of feelings or what it's like to be human) and reprogrammed (to act human, but not be human, which Doojoon is convinced Joon is, without actually being human). And then he will go out in the field, take damage and die there (but it won't be death, it will be destruction, because androids can't die, they can just stop working). 

The lights suddenly come on and Doojoon takes advantage of the momentary confusion to slip out of the room. He resumes his position outside the door. One of his fellow guards, the only one he likes, named Howon (last name Lee, as written on his ID, just like Doojoon's). They exchange looks and Doojoon wonders if Howon knows what's going on. Then Howon leans over, whispering to Doojoon. 

"This one, he's different." Doojoon notices the use of he and not it with a sense of relief. 

"He is, yeah. He's …" Doojoon trails off, glancing around. 

Howon nods, "I know." 

Then there's a click on the door and they exchange looks again before stepping into the room. Joon is just where Doojoon left him. Though he looks different now, more intelligent, Doojoon thinks, though he could be projecting. But then Joon catches Doojoon's gaze and he swears that Joon's face lights up. He's not sure and when he glances at Howon, he doesn't seem to have noticed. 

Doctor Kim addresses them without looking. "Take him to cell 5A." 

Both Howon and Doojoon nod, but it's Doojoon who speaks to Joon. "Come with us, please." He says, flashing Joon a smile. The smile that Joon gives him back is almost right and it makes Doojoon's heart flutter. He'd tried so hard not to care and here he is, probably falling in love with an android. It'd be just his luck, too. His last relationship had been a mess and he tries not to think of the way they broke up. With all the yelling and cursing. He misses having a boyfriend, but he doesn't miss his last boyfriend. 

Joon follows them silently, so much so that Doojoon has to glance back every so often to make sure he's still there. And each time their eyes meet, it's like little electric sparks fly between them. All too soon they're at cell 5A. He remembers these rooms. There aren't cameras in these. Joon must've passed whatever tests Doctor Kim had devised. It's not like they can't monitor him in other ways, but no cameras means they're done observing him. Doojoon contemplates this as they lock him in. 

Right before he leaves the room, he feels Joon watching him. Howon's already in the hall, talking to someone on his walkie. Doojoon turns back toward Joon. He's talking before he realizes. 

"I'll come back and visit." He says, quietly, just loud enough for Joon to hear. He knows his hearing is above average as it is. 

Joon's eyes go wide, it's so human that Doojoon just gives in. 

"Do you … promise?" Joon's voice sounds raw, rusty with disuse and Doojoon wonders if he even knew how to speak, before this very moment. 

"I promise." The words are out before Doojoon even thinks them, but he means it. 

The smile that Joon produces this time is human, perfectly human and exquisite. Doojoon knows, in that moment, that he is, in fact, completely fucked and he will never, ever let anything bad happen to Joon. This Joon. Joon 2.0 who is no longer a 2.0 but Joon. Just Joon. His Joon. 

"Yoon Doojoon." Joon says in his raw and unused voice. 

Doojoon looks up, his heart in his throat, meeting Joon's gaze. Joon just shakes his head, as if to say he just wanted to use his name. "Joon," Doojoon says, voice soft as ever, "I'll be back." 

Joon is still watching him, Doojoon knows, when he locks him in, the door clicking shut behind him. It's making his heart hurt and he's scared everyone will know. He has to take a moment to pull himself together and it's only after he does that he realizes Howon's been watching him. 

"Wanna go grab a smoke?" Howon asks. 

Doojoon looks over at him, surprised. He doesn't smoke, but then he thinks about what Howon could possibly mean. Howon nods at him and then Doojoon gets it. 

"Yeah, sure." He replies. He glances back at Joon's windowless door in his windowless cell and then turns away, heart beating triple time as they walk upstairs and out into the outside air. The smoking spot, 25 feet from the building and out of sight from the cameras, is deserted. Howon pulls out of a pack of cigarettes, hands one to Doojoon, but doesn't light either of them. 

"You okay?" Howon asks after a long few minutes. 

Doojoon looks over at him, surprised. "Fine, why?" 

"You … you always get attached to them." He finally says.

Doojoon has to look away. 

"Joon 2.0, he's …" Howon trails off. 

"They're going to kill him, you know." Doojoon says, looking back at the building where they both work. 

"What?" Howon's voice is full of surprise. 

Doojoon turns back to him. "I overheard the scientists. He's passed all their tests, or if he hasn't, he will. He'll get reprogrammed and he'll be sent into the field." 

Everyone knows they work with the military. Doojoon should've seen it coming and when he catches Howon's gaze, he knows he's thinking the same thing. 

"He won't … be the same, though." Howon says, but the words are empty. 

"He's … he's basically human." Doojoon says, looking at the ground. 

Howon is quiet for a long time, so quiet that Doojoon looks over at him. Then Howon starts talking. "I saw the way he looks at you. And you were talking to him, weren't you?" Doojoon doesn't answer, but Howon goes on. "Did I ever tell you why I work here?" He doesn't wait for Doojoon to reply, just keeps talking. "I needed the money, badly. My mum was sick and my dad lost his job. It's just me, they don't have any more kids. But everything's okay now, my parents moved to the colonies and they'll be there until they die. I go visit them every week, they want me to stay. I want to stay, but I have to come back here to work." 

Doojoon's staring at him, now. Unable to speak because he's almost certain he knows where this is going. Howon's not even looking at him now, just staring off into space, the opposite way of their building(s) of employment. 

"My contract ends in a few days. I could leave, if I wanted. I won't get any compensation, if I leave early. But then again, I have everything I need. My parents are safe, GenTech can't touch them." Howon looks over at Doojoon. "How about you?" 

Doojoon swallows, almost answers what about me, but knows what Howon's really asking. "I joined because it was something to do. Because … my previous boyfriend knew someone who worked here." He looks looks over at Howon. "I grew up in the colonies. My older sister and her family live there now, with my parents. My younger sister works on the continent. She does grassroots protesting." He wonders why they still let him work here, but maybe it's because she doesn't contact him, just his parents. And he barely talks to his parents, for some reason he's known it's safer that way. 

"So if … if something happens, they'll be okay." Howon asks, though it's less a question than a statement. 

Doojoon nods, catching Howon's gaze. He wants to believe that this is nothing, but he knows it's not. It's something. It's what he wants, he knows this. "You don't think he should be … reprogrammed." 

Howon nods. "I know you feel the same. I see the way you look at him." 

"It hasn't been … long enough." Doojoon weakly protests. 

"He might be remade of fresh parts, but he's the accumulation of all of the other previous versions of Joon. He knows you. If they reprogram him …" Howon stops. 

Doojoon nods and glances back toward the building. "He'll be gone." He'll be lost from me, Doojoon thinks. From himself. He won't be Joon anymore. 

"We have to do something." Howon voices that Doojoon's been thinking all day. He looks over and finds Howon watching him. "Do you trust me?" Howon asks. 

Doojoon flashes a grin, suddenly, "do you trust me?" 

Howon's grinning back and Doojoon knows, now. "We can do this." He says. 

Doojoon nods. "We'll talk about it, tomorrow." 

Howon nods. "I've got to be going, my shift's about to end. Go back and talk to him. I'm sure he misses you." 

Doojoon swallows and stares at Howon. Feelings, Doojoon thinks. Joon has feelings and he's locked up in a room, by himself. Waiting for someone. Waiting for Doojoon. He doesn't answer Howon and instead walks quickly back toward the building. It's all he can do not to run down to cell 5A.

 **Joon (2.0)**  
The moment the door clicks shut, the feeling in his chest comes back. He understands, without having to think, that this is fear. He is scared, like the woman in the other room (that's different from the one with the man and the tablet, which is in turn entirely different from the one he is in now) and he understands, now, the look on Yoon Doojoon's face. It is concern (his brain explains this as worry, which in turns ends up with him thinking about anxiety (distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune) and then he has to stop the derailment of his thoughts). 

He is struck by the idea that Yoon Doojoon is concerned (worried) about him. Him. Not it, but him. He wonders how he knows this, but maybe it's in the way that Yoon Doojoon looked at him. Talked to him. They were the first words he'd spoken and he didn't even know he could until he tried (like reading, he reckons). He also knew about promises from the passage the man who never introduced himself (though once Joon learned he could read, he read the man's name: Kim Jung Su, PhD) gave him to read. A promise was something you asked of someone else and his brain filled in the rest (promise: a commitment by someone to do or not do something). And when Yoon Doojoon (Yoon Doojoon, guard) had said he'd return, Joon wanted a promise. 

And now he's waiting. He doesn't know how long it's been since Yoon Doojoon had left. An hour, maybe. He has an internal clock, if he glances to the left, it appears. But he doesn't check it. Instead, he closes his eyes and blocks of text appear. He discovered, once he could read, that deep inside him were books. Millions and millions of pages of text. He could read fast and so he did. Instead of being scared, he read to make the ache in his chest go away. He learned that he was not human, that he had a computer inside of him. That his heart beat, but was not full of blood. He did not have to eat or drink. He searched in places he probably wasn't meant to search, because he found something called an owner's manual (an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer products such as vehicles, home appliances and computer peripherals). 

He read through the whole thing, which is what caused the anxiety (for that's what he is certain it is) to come back. Humans, he realized, did not have such manuals. He wasn't human, but he didn't feel like a machine. Especially since he could feel. From reading his own manual, he knew that there was a chip somewhere inside of the computer in his brain that allowed him to feel emotions as if they were real. He wasn't quite sure if he was meant to feel fear or compassion or other things (the way his breath quickened when he thought of Yoon Doojoon, but he didn't really understand this), but he was. And then he reached the end of the manual. There, at the bottom, in fine print, he learned about his purpose. 

Up until that moment, he thought he knew what fear was. But now he was quite certain he hadn't known at all. He was owned by GenTech (a company called a defense contractor, which he discovered was a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a military or intelligence department of a government). He knew humans weren't owned by anyone, that was obvious. But he was property. And his purpose (it even stated that, in the fine print) was to go out into the battlefield (the location of a battle and battle led to war). He wasn't sure what he was meant to do, except that he was pretty certain (especially after he recalled that war was an organised and often prolonged armed conflict) he didn't want to go into a battlefield, any battlefield.

But he was not a he but an it, even though he looked like a human male in all the ways that mattered (he'd looked that up, just to be sure and then checked himself out, there were pictures). And his feelings, his thoughts and emotions, his desires (a sense of longing for a person or object or hoping for an outcome) did not matter. Even though he had them all, especially desires. He wanted to get out of this room, he wanted not to go to war and, most of all, he wanted Yoon Doojoon to open the door. 

He takes a breath of air he doesn't need in an attempt to calm himself (he had a million definitions for calm, but the one he liked best was stillness). It seems to work, when he closes his eyes, he can monitor the drop in his heart rate. It's dropping to acceptable levels (he knows this, too, because it goes from red to green) and the pain in his chest is decreasing. But then the air ventilation system kicked on, startling him and he sees his heart rate go red again. It's at this moment that the door to his cell (a small room, as in a convent or prison) opens. His eyes snap open and a new feeling floods through him. A few seconds later he knows it's relief (easing of a burden or distress, such as pain, anxiety, or oppression). 

"Yoon Doojoon." He says, very softly. 

Yoon Doojoon smiles at him in a way he can't identify, but it makes him feel safe (secure from danger, harm, or evil). He walks toward Joon, who sits on the small bed, attached to the wall, and sits down next to him. 

"You can just call me Doojoon." He says, smiling again. 

"Doojoon." Joon tries the word out in his mouth. He misses the Yoon part, but he likes the way Doojoon's face seems to change when he says his name. He looks brighter than before. 

"Yes." Doojoon replies. "You are --"

"Joon!" He answers, with his own smile. He's been practicing. 

Doojoon looks surprised (strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness) but smiles back. "Yes. Are you okay?" 

Joon frowns, sifting through his internal dictionary. Okay was actually ok which meant agreeable or acceptable, it took him a few more moments to understand, but then he looks up at Doojoon. "I am acceptable." He finally says. 

Doojoon seems as though he's trying not to smile, which makes Joon curious, but he's talking before Joon can ask. "Do you know … I mean, are you aware of …" He keeps stopping and Joon tilts his head, studying him. 

And then he realizes what Doojoon's asking. "I am a computer, a machine." He replies. 

Something similar to the concern he noticed earlier crosses Doojoon's face before he speaks. "You are more than that." 

"I am Joon 2.0." Joon replies and then looks down when he feels something touch him. It's Doojoon's hand. His brain suggests this is hand-holding for comfort, but he think it feels different than the comfort he earlier took from Doojoon's voice. 

"You are just Joon." Doojoon's voice is soft. 

Joon looks at their hands again. He blinks and words float in front of his eyes, which is new.

> Holding hands is a form of physical intimacy involving two or more people. It may or may not be romantic.  
>  Romantic: see Romance.  
>  Romance is the expressive and pleasurable feeling from an emotional attraction toward another person associated with love.

And then he hits a roadblock at love. He blinks the words away and looks up to find Doojoon staring at him.

"Are you okay?" Doojoon asks again, the tone in his voice matching confusion. 

"I am okay, yes." Joon replies, but notices it doesn't seem to make Doojoon seem any less confused. "I was thinking." He finally says. 

Doojoon nods in what his brain suggested is a thoughtful (characterized by or manifesting careful thought) way. "You get this blank look on your face." 

"I have to look things up." Joon replies. "Sometimes the computer that is my brain is not fast enough and sometimes I don't understand what it is telling me." 

Doojoon's studying him and it makes his face feel hot (blushing: the physiological occurrence of temporary redness of the face as an emotional response). Then Doojoon reaches out, his other hand still holding onto Joon's, and touched his face. "It's warm." He exclaims before dropping his hand.

"I am both human and not human." Joon replies and feels the now-familiar ache creep into him. 

Doojoon shakes his head, pulling his hands back to himself. "You are entirely human, to me." He stops, still looking at Joon. "And I touched you without permission. I'm sorry. 

Blink. _Permission: authorization granted to do something._ Blink again. "I give you … permission." The word sounds strange in his mouth. There's silence and then he looks over at Doojoon. "Was that wrong?" 

Doojoon shakes his head. He's blinking rapidly. "Why are you blinking? Do you need words defined?" Joon asks without thinking. 

Laughter (what the woman was doing earlier, he realizes now) spills out of Doojoon. He's shaking his head. "I don't have a brain like yours." His words are full of affection (fond attachment, devotion, or love; and Joon keeps running into love, he doesn't understand this concept). 

"But you were …" 

Doojoon holds up a hand, which Joon's brain tells him means he must stop talking, so he does. Doojoon speaks again. "Your words touched me." 

_Touched: moved; stirred._ Not at all like touch in the physical sense. He glances at Doojoon. "Was that bad?" 

A shake of the head accompanies Doojoon's smile. "No, it's all right." 

Joon wants to reach out and touch Doojoon, but then he remembers permission. "Can I touch you?" He asks. 

There's no hesitation when Doojoon nods. So Joon reaches out and gently presses his fingers against Doojoon's cheek. He knows the parts of the body, he even read about sex. But he didn't think that he knew what humans felt like, but they feel like him. Although Doojoon's skin isn't as smooth as his own. He rubs his thumb along Doojoon's chin, there's something there, it's rough against his fingers. He pulls his hand away. 

Doojoon catches his wrist and gently brings his hand back up. "Hair." He says. Joon's brain processes quickly hair on the face leads to beards which leads to stubble. He rubs his fingers against it again, making Doojoon's body shake slightly. His brain fills in for him: shudder, not shake, which is to tremble with a sudden convulsive movement, as from horror, fear, or cold. Joon drops his hand immediately. Doojoon looks at him. 

"You …" He pauses, "shuddered." And then he recites the definition for Doojoon. "Shudder, to tremble with a sudden convulsive movement, as from horror, fear, or cold."

Doojoon eyes go wide and then he takes Joon's hand in his own. "There are other meanings." 

"They are all bad." Joon replies immediately. 

Doojoon shakes his head. He reaches up, gently tapping the side of Joon's head. "Not everything is in there." Then he gently, ever so gently, brushes his fingers along Joon's neck. He finds himself shaking, no, his brain says, shuddering. But he feels no fear, horror or cold. It is something entirely different. Doojoon pulls his hand back and Joon stares at him. 

"That was …" Joon has no idea how to finish that sentence and the computer that is his brain is no help, either. 

"Pleasure." Doojoon says, softly. 

Joon blinks and the word pleasure floats in front of his eyes. There are five definitions.

> 1\. The state or feeling of being pleased or gratified.  
>  2\. A source of enjoyment or delight.  
>  3\. Amusement, diversion, or worldly enjoyment  
>  4\. Sensual gratification or indulgence.  
>  5\. One's preference or wish.

"Number four." Joon says, looking over at Doojoon. He blinks, sending all but the fourth definition away. "Sensual gratification or indulgence." He blinks again to send the words away.

Doojoon's smiling now and Joon finds that he wants to do the same, so he does. "You can ask me anything you want." Doojoon says, gently touching Joon's hand. They are not, Joon notes, holding hands, but he likes the feeling all the same. 

Joon nods, thinking. And then he remembers the word he doesn't understand, no matter how many definitions he reads. "What is love?" 

The surprised look crosses Doojoon's face again, then it fades into a smile. He shakes his head, but he doesn't look upset. He opens his mouth, about to answer, when a cracking static noise fills the room. 

"Fuck." Doojoon mutters and Joon has to flip through a many definitions before he understands that fuck means something other than sex (which, although he has read about it, he only understands in the clinical way that comes out of textbooks). It is slang, a word someone shouldn't use (according to his internal dictionary) and, in this case, it is a word meaning frustration. It takes him a matter of seconds to process all of this (he's getting faster), but Doojoon's already standing. 

Joon looks over at him and feels concern. 

Doojoon looks back at him. "My walkie-talkie." Then he holds up a finger to his mouth (Joon's brain explains this means to be quiet). Joon waits and watches. Doojoon flips a switch and starts talking. 

"Yoon Doojoon."  
Static, then a reply. "Where are you?"  
"Taking a break."  
Static, some words Joon can't make out. "You're needed. Level 6. Containment."  
"Right away, sir."  
Silence. 

"You are taking a break?" His brain fills in the phrase as he's speaking, already knowing what it means, confused as to why Doojoon is saying it. 

Doojoon walks back over to him. "It is my break time. I am choosing to spend it with you." 

"Why did you not just tell him?" Joon asks, feeling confused. 

Doojoon sits back down. "Sometimes it's better to lie." 

"Lie?" He asks, but his brain is already answering. He says it out loud. "Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression."

Doojoon is smiling again, but it's a sad (affected by unhappiness or grief; sorrowful or mournful) smile. Joon understands this almost without the definitions. "I am not supposed to be here." 

Joon feels surprise (he doesn't know if this is the first time, but today has been full of firsts). "But you are here."

"I promised." Doojoon is standing again. "And I promise I will come back. 

Joon stands, too. His arms hang at his sides, he doesn't know what to do with them. Doojoon is watching him. "You will be okay?" Joon asks, finally. 

"I will." Doojoon starts to turn to leave and then stops. "Do you want to stay here?" 

Joon feels surprise (again) at the question. Then he thinks about the fine print and that he is owned by GenTech. "I do not wish to stay here. But I am not … I am not free to leave." A cell, his brain had told him, was part of a prison. And he was property, not a person (no matter what he feels or Doojoon says), thus he cannot leave. 

"If I could … help you to leave, would you come with me?" Doojoon's voice is so low that Joon isn't even sure if he's talking or just thinking it. 

"Do you own me?" 

Doojoon seems to know what Joon means and he shakes his head. "I don't. But I don't want you to …" 

"To be reprogrammed, militarized, and send into the battlefield." Joon recites. 

Doojoon looks surprised. "How did you know?" 

Joon feels a smile cross his face (not a smile, his brain says, but a smirk: to smile in an affected, often offensively self-satisfied manner). "They gave me many books to read. One of them was the owner's manual." 

Doojoon shakes his head. Then reaches out, placing both hands on Joon's shoulders. "I don't own you, no one should own you. You are human to me and I don't want you to have to stay in here. I don't want you to …" His voice breaks, Joon makes a note to figure out what it means, later, because Doojoon is talking again. "I want you to remain Joon." 

"I want to be Joon, too." Joon replies. He thinks about what he means, what Doojoon might mean. "I will leave with you." He replies and feels something in him click. It's not a metallic click, but something deep within him, like a switch that's been turned. As if he'd made the right decision. It's a feeling, not anything physical. 

"I promise I will be back. I promise I will get you out of here." Doojoon whispers and then lets go of Joon's shoulders. He steps away and then he's turning, leaving and locking the door behind him. 

Joon returns to his bed. He sits crossed legged and replays parts of the conversation over and over. Especially the moments when Doojoon's fingers are touching him. He knows he can't really feel them, but it _feels_ real. He remembers (he didn't know memory worked this way) how it felt. And then he replays the last bits of conversation. The part where Doojoon's voice breaks. Joon studies it, trying to understand. Until he realizes that Doojoon's voice was full of emotions (a word he knows, understands and _feels_ ). His brain tries to tell him that it has to be just one, but Joon thinks that his brain is wrong. That it is possible to feel more than one emotion at a time. And he suddenly realizes this is true, because he is experiencing several emotions at once. He misses Doojoon and longs for him to come back. But he is also distracted by the idea that his brain is more than just the computer. Because he was thinking independently of that computer. It's scary (that is two emotions, he thinks, longing and fear) because he thought the computer _was_ his brain, but maybe it's just part of it. And at the same time, he still has lingering feelings from the way Doojoon touched him (three emotions: longing, fear and pleasure). But Doojoon had more, Joon thinks. And then it's four, because there is also comfort that Doojoon has emotions about him. 

He closes his eyes. He does not need sleep, but he can go into sleep mode. He messes with his internal sensors, not sure he could do it before, but understanding that he can now. His brain is more than just the computer. He tells the computer to use a voiceprint of Doojoon's voice. And that if it's speaking, he must wake up. And then he sets himself to sleep mode, to make the time until Doojoon returns pass quickly. 

**Doojoon**  
He runs along the corridors, his promises to Joon echoing around in his head. He'd wanted to just walk out of the building, away from GenTech, with Joon at that very moment. But then, he wants a lot of things that he can't have, most (all) of them involving Joon. But before he can rescue Joon, he has to have a plan, something that involves him talking to Howon tomorrow. Even though he wants to leave right now. 

The elevator seems to take forever and he briefly wishes he'd taken the stairs. But it's too late now. Then the doors slide open and Doojoon exits the elevator into chaos. He looks around for Howon, but doesn't see him. He sees his fellow guards, rushing around. And then he sees his boss. The man, Supervisor Jung, waves for Doojoon to come over. 

"Yoon, get your ass to medical. There's been an accident." He doesn't even apologize for interrupting Doojoon's break. Which, Doojoon remembers, is why he can't be bothered to learn Supervisor Jung's full name. 

He walks down the hall, there's not enough space for him to jog. He dodges people, running and walking in the opposite direction. When he finally reaches the medical offices, he notices there's a lot of smoke and blood. He peers into one of the labs, but it's too filled with smoke to see anything. He coughs a little and fishes in his pocket for his standard issue mask. He pulls it out and walks through the smoke. 

It finally clears and he sees a couple of the scientists who were observing Joon's tests earlier in the day. They're all standing around in one of the labs. He walks into the room and a few of the guards look up. That's when Doojoon remembers, to his relief, that Howon's gone home already. This will give them something to talk about tomorrow, an excuse to take their breaks at the same time. 

"Yoon, glad you're here. We need help taking these down to level four." One of the guards says. 

Doojoon looks at the guard and then at the table. It's full of computer chips. He wants to ask what they are, but he doesn't. Instead he just walks over and starts stacking the boxes. One of the scientists helps him. 

She leans over, reading his tag. "Yoon Doojoon, why don't you follow me. I'll show where these go." 

Doojoon nods, not bothering to say anything or spend a moment reading her nametag. He's decided he doesn't care anymore. The scientist leads him toward the stairs, not the elevator. They walk in silence, there are people scurrying past them, up and down the stairs. Eventually they stop at level four. She swipes her card and holds the door for him. 

In contrast to the hall and the sixth level, this one is basically silent. Doojoon recalls being on this floor once or twice before. Mostly while helping with earlier versions of Joon. His thoughts briefly return to Joon and he hopes that the alarms, which have just started blaring, don't reach that far down. He doesn't like to think of Joon being alone and scared. 

The woman's talking brings him out of his thoughts. "... we thought it was contained, but it overheated."

"What?" Doojoon says before he can stop himself. 

The scientist turns, glancing at him. "Sorry, I'm just babbling. The explosion in one of the labs." She says, with a sigh. "It was Joon 2.1." She makes a face. 

"2.1?" Doojoon asks, full of anxiety.. 

She nods, seemingly ignorant of the tone of his voice. "Joon 2.0, the one in the cells downstairs," she states, as if he doesn't remember his Joon. "We've discovered that it's adapting too quickly, so they've made some improvements. Or they thought they had. But 2.1 exploded on the table. We lost some priceless equipment," she pauses, and then adds," and one of our best lab assistants."

Doojoon has to muster all of his self-control not to stare at her. Then he tries to come up with something to say in response, but there's nothing. And then she's talking again anyway, so it doesn't matter. 

"Those chips you're carrying. We have to have them analyzed to find out what what went wrong. They're already working on Joon 2.2 and 2.3, to see if they can slow down the adaptation process. Personally, I think that 2.1 evolved too fast and couldn't handle it, so it overheated and exploded, but we still have to analyze all that data." She says with a sigh and unlocks a door to a lab. 

"Over here." She points to a table next to a rather large computer. "Set them here and then you may go back upstairs." 

Doojoon does as he's asked and by the time he's finished, though there aren't many boxes, she's already working. She doesn't even look up when he leaves. Her words, though, follow him out into the hall and up the stairs. As he helps the clean up, trying not to think of his Joon exploding, he replays them in his head. He thought his Joon had passed all the tasks, but this is almost worse. If they're working toward a Joon 3.0, and he thinks they are, he needs to get his Joon out as soon as possible. 

Perhaps it should be worse to know that his Joon could be sent into battle and made to forget him. But Doojoon doesn't think so. The idea that his Joon, that Joon 2.0, would be dissected and studied is even worse. He remembers when they were experimenting with pain and how they would take the limbs off the earlier Joons, just to see what the readings were. It makes him shudder so hard he almost drops the box he's carrying. 

He makes at least five more trips, alone now that they recoded his card to let him onto the fourth floor. He finishes the last trip, leaving the boxes for some poor intern to sort. He returns to the sixth floor and soon realizes that most of the people have already gone. The smoke has dissipated and there's a janitor cleaning up the remaining mess.

Supervisor Jung approaches him just outside the lab he'd been removing boxes from. For a moment he just studies Doojoon, but eventually he speaks. "The scientists said you were very efficient." He pauses for a second, the continues. "As you can see, we've gotten everything under control. You may return to your break." 

Doojoon nods, mind already downstairs and back with Joon. But then Supervisor Jung is talking to him again. 

"I know your shift ends in a few hours, but we will require you to remain here. After today's mishap, we're calling everyone in and no one may leave at this time." 

"Yes, sir." Doojoon replies, biting his tongue at the word mishap, as if the death of Joon 2.1 didn't matter at all. But then again, he knows how the scientists feel and he can only imagine how his supervisor feels. 

"Check in after your break for your assignment." Supervisor Jung says and Doojoon knows that tone. He's dismissed. 

He takes the elevator down to the cells in the basement. At first the elevator is full of people, but the lower he goes, the fewer people there are. By the time he reaches the floor Joon's being held on, he is alone. The doors slide open and the only guard on duty is away from his desk, probably doing rounds. Doojoon stars to press the buzzer, but on impulse swipes his card. The gate opens. He's surprised, mostly because they haven't reprogrammed his card yet. But, of course, they were dealing with a crisis. 

The walk to Joon's cell is short and the door opens with his keycard as it did earlier in the day. He steps in and notices that the lights have dimmed. They brighten when he fully enters the room. He sees Joon on the bed, head bent, looking like he's asleep. But the lights and the door shutting don't wake him. Doojoon rushes over and shakes Joon lightly. He feels a panic rush through him. He stares, unable to figure out what to do. He runs his fingers through his hair. 

"Joon," he finally murmurs, "please wake up." 

It's as if a switch is flipped. Joon's head lifts and his eyes flutter open. Doojoon sinks to his knees in front of Joon, relief rushing through him. Joon looks down at him. 

"Doojoon, you are back." He tilts his head, studying Doojoon. "Are you …" he pauses and Doojoon knows he's thinking. "All right?" 

Doojoon reaches out, grasping Joon's hands, strangely warm like his own, in his. "I am now."

Joon's fingers curl around Doojoon's. "You do not look all right." 

"I thought you were … you looked asleep." Doojoon mumbles, ducking his head slightly. He feels Joon's hands tightening, just slightly. He looks up. "But you didn't move when I shook you, or when the lights came on."

"I was … asleep, as you say. But I do not require sleep like you." Joon blinks a few times and then speaks again. "Sleep mode. I programmed myself to wake up at the sound of your voice."

Doojoon almost pulls back, both surprised and touched. He squeezes Joon's hand back. "Just me?" He finally says. 

Joon nods. "Just you." 

Doojoon can't come up with anything to say and he blinks back tears. He feels Joon's eyes watching him and blushes.

"Are you here on your break again?" Joon asks, changing the subject almost abruptly, but Doojoon is relieved. There are too many emotions for him to deal with. 

"I am." He pulls his hands out of Joon's and stands. He runs his hands through his hair then sits down on the bed next to Joon. "There was an accident upstairs in one of the labs." 

"Was anyone injured?" Joon asks, carefully. 

Doojoon nods, staring at the door. "A lab assistant was killed. And …" He glances over at Joon, but then turns away. "A … newer version of you seems to have exploded." 

Joon reaches out and takes one of Doojoon's hands in his own. Doojoon looks at their hands and then at Joon. 

"Comfort." Joon says, though he doesn't define it. Instead he speaks before Doojoon can say anything. "Did you see him?" Doojoon shakes his head and Joon goes on. "But it still upsets you."

Doojoon swallows before speaking. "I … I was thinking of you." He manages to gets the words out, but they're quiet. His hand curling tightly around Joon's. 

"I will not leave you." Joon offers. 

Doojoon looks over at him, surprised. 

"I will not let them take me apart." 

"How …" Doojoon beings, but Joon holds up his hand in a gesture similar to one Doojoon had done earlier. If the circumstances were different, it might've made Doojoon smile. 

"They monitor me, but they do not realize I can use those same connections to monitor them back." Joon smiles and it's a mischievous smile that makes Doojoon ache somewhere deep in his heart.

Doojoon reaches out and gently touches Joon's face. Joon leans into the touch and it looks, it is, so natural that it almost takes Doojoon's breath away. 

"Do you think I'm defective?" Joon asks, his eyes lidded but not closed. 

Doojoon's hand cups Joon's cheek gently. "No. I think you are perfect." He watches Joon process this, blinking as he thinks. 

"I am not perfect." He replies after a moment, eyes open and studying Doojoon. 

Doojoon brushes his thumb along Joon's jaw before dropping his hand. "No one is really perfect. It just means that your flaws are part of who you are and the whole of you, flaws and all, is perfect." 

Joon's eyes open wide with understanding. He reaches out, the tips of his fingers brushing lightly against Doojoon's lips, making him shiver. "Then you are perfect, too." 

Doojoon lifts his hand up, fingers encircling Joon's wrist. Out of habit, he searches for a heartbeat, but of course can't find one. He has a brief moment of revulsion, but his gaze meets Joon's and it vanishes as quickly as it appears. He knows Joon's not human, not really, but he doesn't care. He lifts Joon's hand up, pressing his mouth against Joon's palm in a kiss. For a moment they don't move, but Joon's eyelids flutter slightly. Then Joon frees his hand from Doojoon's. 

They don't say anything, which is fine with Doojoon, because he's not sure what to say. Instead, Joon effortlessly slides back on the bed until he's leaning against the wall. He tugs lightly at Doojoon, who immediately understands. He sets the alarm on his watch and stretches out, head resting on Joon's lap. The last thing he remembers, before falling asleep, is Joon's fingers in his hair. 

**Joon**  
He doesn't know how long he sits there, fingers threading through Doojoon's hair, but he doesn't even blink as he watches Doojoon sleep. With his eyes closed, mouth open slightly, Doojoon looks relaxed. Joon notices things he didn't before. Like the curve of his lips, way his hair falls against his face, the warm weight of Doojoon against him. Joon realizes that while he is warm, it is nothing like what it means for a human to be warm. 

Eventually he stops moving his hand in Doojoon's hair. He is asleep, deep asleep Joon can tell by the way Doojoon's eyelids flutter but do not open. His brain and his computer are processing almost simultaneously and the definitions he's depended on are already in his head almost before he can think them. There are, he knows, still things he doesn't understand, but he knows time will provide him with answers. 

He rests a hand on Doojoon's chest, feeling Doojoon's heart beating through his fingertips. It travels up his arm, filling him with comfort. He watches as Doojoon, still asleep, shifts until he's on his side, head still in Joon's lap. His hand curls around Joon's, clutching at it. Joon doesn't ever want to let go. He understands his desires completely. He closes his own eyes, leaning back against the wall behind him. He thinks about what Doojoon asked him, earlier. 

GenTech owns him, they have patented him. Perhaps not the parts of him that have adapted, but the machines inside of him, that make him function. He thinks about all the ways they could hurt Doojoon. The ache, the anxiety, wraps itself around his artificial heart and squeezes. He thinks about the deceased Joon 2.1 that Doojoon had mentioned. Though he knows it's wrong, Joon accesses the database (who, he thinks, thought it was a good idea to let the android have access to the secure databases) storing all the data on the previous Joons. He reads until Doojoon's alarm snaps him back to reality.  
He opens his eyes to see Doojoon sitting up, rubbing at his eyes. Doojoon shifts, turning his head to look at Joon. "You look …" Doojoon starts, then stops. He reaches out, rubbing his thumb along Joon's cheek, right under his eye. 

"I was reading." Joon finds that his voice is a little hoarse and he blinks a few times. 

"What were you reading?" Doojoon asks, sliding back on the bed until they are settled next to each other, shoulders touching. 

Joon closes his eyes, but not to read or to think. His memories of the words are painful enough. He doesn't open them when he speaks. "I was reading about the previous versions of me." 

He hears a sharp intake of breath, surprise he knows, from Doojoon. He doesn't open his eyes yet and he goes on talking. "They have all suffered. Did … did my creators know how much pain they were causing?" 

There's silence, it goes on for so long that Joon has to open his eyes. He looks at Doojoon, who has anguish (a new word; meaning extreme pain, distress, or anxiety) written across his face. Doojoon reaches out, framing Joon's facing in his hands. His voice breaks and there are unshed tears in his eyes (tears, Joon thinks, that he cannot cry for himself, even though he wants to cry, he longs to cry). 

"I knew." Doojoon whispers. "I knew and there was nothing I could do." 

Joon blinks, rapid fire and he aches to cry. "They … they only wish to destroy, not create." He manages to say and for the first time he wishes he had no feelings, this ache deep in his chest hurts as much as real pain. 

Doojoon leans forward, resting his head against Joon's. "You cannot cry?" Doojoon asks. 

Joon replies, voice shaky, "I cannot." 

"Oh, Joon." Doojoon's voice comes out in a half-sob (sob, Joon thinks, to weep with a convulsive catching of the breath). 

"I feel it, but I have no tears." He replies as Doojoon pulls back, just slightly. 

Doojoon lifts up one of Joon's hands and presses his fingers against his face. Doojoon's cheeks are wet with tears, Joon realizes. He mimics the motion Doojoon made earlier, which he realizes now mean Doojoon was wiping away Joon's tears that don't exist. 

"I hate working here." Doojoon whispers, his hand pressing against Joon's where it's resting against his cheek. "I do not regret it, though, because I have met you." 

"You wish to leave?" Joon asks through a sudden veil of anxiety. 

Doojoon nods, but he's pulling back again. He's holding both of Joon's hands in his. "I do wish to leave, but not without you. And not without destroying this place." 

Joon thinks about everything he's read. About the Joon project, as he is known, as well as the scientists' other work with artificial intelligence (though Joon would argue he is anything but artificial). He lifts his gaze to meet Doojoon's. 

"I will go with you." He says, although he knows (can replay it at a moment's notice) they have discussed this before. And then he goes on before Doojoon can say anything. "And I can help you." 

Doojoon looks slightly surprised. "You can?" 

Joon nods. He shifts, tugging Doojoon so they are sitting across from each other. "I have been reading about viruses." 

Doojoon's eyebrows shoot up in what Joon believes is skepticism (an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object). 

"They provided me with all the information and tools I would need to destroy their work." He pauses, thinking about his past selves and his future unmade selves. "I can stop them from destroying more of me." He finally says, looking at Doojoon. 

"You would do this?" Doojoon asks quietly. 

Joon nods. "After reading about …" He pauses, feeling anxiety whenever he thinks about his past selves. He gathers himself together before going on. "After reading about my past selves, I cannot allow them to continue." 

Doojoon looks pleased and slightly upset. He shifts, sliding off the bed and standing in the middle of the small room. Joon follows, standing near him, but says nothing. 

"I …" But whatever Doojoon is going to say is cut off by another alarm from his phone. He looks at it and sighs. "I must go back to work." 

Joon steps in close, but doesn't touch Doojoon. "When?" He asks. He wants to destroy them now. He wanted to do it as soon as he started reading the reports, but he waited until Doojoon was awake. He knew better than to destroy things without the person who could help him get out. Without the person he also wanted to protect (to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.; cover or shield from injury or danger). 

Doojoon looks at him, face filled with emotions Joon has no experience with. He records the scene to examine later, but for now he just waits for Doojoon's answer. 

"Soon." Doojoon replies, glancing at his watch and then back at Joon. "I have to talk to someone who can help us. He may be here already." 

Joon tilts his head, thinking about the people he has met. He doesn't know anyone else. When he glances at Doojoon, he thinks perhaps Doojoon knows what he is thinking. And then Doojoon speaks again, Joon knows he's right. 

"Do you have access to the employee database?" Doojoon asks. 

"I have access to everything." Joon replies. 

"His name is Lee Howon." Doojoon replies. And then he steps in, distracting Joon from his search. "I am going to hug you." Doojoon replies, looking self-conscious (excessively aware of being observed by others; conscious of oneself or one's own being). 

Hug, Joon thinks, is to clasp tightly in the arms, especially with affection; embrace. He blinks once and off to the left is a picture of people hugging. He blinks it away as he feels Doojoon's arms around him. He lifts his own arms, wrapping them back around Doojoon. He likes the way this feels. He rests his head against Doojoon's shoulder, as the woman was doing with the man in the picture he'd just been shown. He feels Doojoon tighten his arms, like with holding hands, Joon thinks. And then Doojoon pulls back. 

"I will come back for you." Doojoon says. 

"Do you promise?" Joon asks, even though he thinks he already knows the answer. 

Doojoon smiles. "I promise. Will you be ready?" 

Joon replies immediately. "I am already ready." 

The look on Doojoon's face is a mix of something Joon registers as desperation and something that Joon can't identify. Doojoon holds Joon's gaze for a long time, too long because his phone is beeping at him. 

"You must leave." Joon whispers. 

Doojoon nods, but says nothing. 

"Go." Joon says, whispering still. He can see the emotions on Doojoon's face with aching clarity for the first time. Doojoon does not want to leave or if he does, he does not want to leave without Joon. "You must." Joon whispers, stepping toward Doojoon. 

"I will come for you." Doojoon whispers in return, finally speaking. He leans in, letting his mouth brush against Joon's cheek. And then he is turning, leaving. He walks out of the room, glancing back once, then twice, before the door shuts. 

And then Joon is alone. He lifts his hand up to touch the place where Doojoon's lips touched his face. A kiss, he thinks. The definitions get muddled the more he thinks about them. None of them fit, exactly. But he finally settles on one: to express a thought, feeling, etc., by a contact of the lips. And he he replays the scene back further. He studies Doojoon's face, the desperation, which leads him to the word desperate. It means to be reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency. Joon gets lost in the meanings of despair (loss of hope; hopelessness) until he has to stop.

He returns to his bed. He thinks he ought to put himself into sleep mode, to recharge and to make the time until Doojoon returns pass faster, but he can't. He doesn't want to stop thinking and he has work to do. He closes his eyes and forms a list behind his eyelids.

> create virus  
>  discover how to disconnect from GenTech  
>  release virus  
>  disconnect from GenTech  
>  freedom

He will not use sleep mode. Instead, he will focus on each of these tasks, one at a time. He can recharge at the same, perhaps not as efficiently, but he is capable of multitasking. And he wants to be ready when Doojoon returns. In case Doojoon doesn't return. He keeps his eyes closed, pretending to be in sleep mode, but instead he's slowly working on a way to destroy everything around him and obtain freedom (the power to determine action without restraint).

 **Doojoon**  
There's a guard at the end of the hall when Doojoon shuts the door to Joon's cell. The man just nods as Doojoon passes, doesn't even bother to look up as he buzzes the gate to let Doojoon out. He bounces on his heels, unable to stand still, even though he wants to do. He has 15 minutes to make it to the break room before anyone realizes he hasn't spent his break like he was meant to. 

He cannot resist, though, right before the elevator doors open, glancing back down the hall toward Joon's cell. If it wasn't for Howan, Doojoon thinks he would've told Joon to send the virus and they'd be leaving right now. But he can't, he doesn't even have a plan yet. He does meditation breathing all the way up to the eighth floor, where the break room is located. People get on and off the elevator as it rises and none of them even give him a second look. Being a guard, he thinks, has rendered him almost invisible. 

When he reaches the break room, there are a couple of other guards. They both nod at him as he enters, but return to their game of cards. Doojoon gets himself a cup of coffee and sits down at one of the tables. The guards are talking about their families, but Doojoon has to tune them out. If he wants to destroy this company, he cannot think about the lives he might also ruin. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he doesn't want to leave anything intact, either. Maybe Joon's virus is the answer. He sips his coffee and then his phone beeps, waking him from his daze. 

It's a text message from Howon. He's downstairs in the lobby, on his way up to the lounge. Doojoon texts back, one word, roof. There's a corner of the roof that's used by smokers who don't want to go down and smoke. It's within the site of the security cameras, but there's no sound on those. 

Howon's reply says he'll be up there in five minutes. Doojoon deletes the texts, certain Howon is doing the same, and then tosses the rest of his coffee. The two guards don't even look up when he leaves. The hall is deserted and Doojoon wonders where everyone is as he walks up the stairs past the ninth and tenth floors, until he reaches the roof access. Though it should be locked, it never is. Even the scientists come up here sometimes. 

It's dark, late evening now. Doojoon doesn't even know when this happened. He doesn't even know how much time has passed. A day since everything happened? He doesn't know. He walks over to the smoker's corner and sits on the ledge, staring up into the darkening night sky. 

"Doojoon." Howon's voice breaks into his thoughts. 

Doojoon stands. "Hey. Did you even make it home?" 

Howon shakes his head. "No. What happened?" 

Doojoon swallows and turns his head away, looking out over the expanse of land that surrounds the buildings they work in. Then he turns back to Howon. 

"Should I read the report?" Howon asks. 

Doojoon shakes his head. "They're going to … they're already working toward Joon 3.0. Apparently … apparently Joon's …" He can't get the words out, he swallows hard, trying again. "He's adapting too fast." 

Howon's eyebrows arch in surprise. "I thought …" 

"He's basically human." Doojoon interrupts. "He's … he has emotions, he can feel. He can hurt." Doojoon thinks about the way Joon looked after reading about the earlier versions of himself. "Howon, Joon read about what happened to the previous … models." 

Howon's eyes go wide. "He was upset?" It's not really a question that needs an answer, but Doojoon nods. 

"He says he can create a virus to destroy all of this." Doojoon waves vaguely at the building they're standing on top of. 

"Do you believe him?" Howon asks. 

Doojoon nods. "I trust him. I … trust him with my life." 

Howon nods, voice soft when he speaks. "And he trusts his with you?" 

Doojoon nods again. "He does. He. He has empathy. He feels everything we feel. I saw … I saw on his face how upset he was by what happened. If it was just the two of us, him and me, we would've gone already, but …" 

"There's me and you need a plan." Howon finishes and Doojoon nods. Howon goes on. "I was thinking on the way home and then when I got called back here."

"About?" Doojoon asks, taking his seat back on the edge of the roof. Howon walks over and joins him. They can speak in even quieter voices now, without worrying about anyone sneaking up on them. 

"How to escape." 

Doojoon tilts his heading, struggling to keep his curiosity in check. "Oh?" 

Howon nods. "The cell that Joon's in is on the second basement level. There are tunnels underneath." 

"What?" 

Howon almost smiles. "I was looking at the schematics on the phone. Before GenTech bought the building, it hadn't been used since the earlier 2000s." 

"That's nearly 100 years ago." Doojoon says, trying to recall what tunnels would be used for. Before he can come up with an answer, Howon's talking again. 

"I know. They held pipes that were used to pump in water or gas of some kind and some of them held wires. We don't need them now, which means that no one uses the tunnels anymore." He stops, looking expectantly at Doojoon. 

"Aren't they guarded?" 

Howon shakes his head. "Think about it, they only care about people getting in, not leaving. And even then, most people don't know about the tunnels. They've sealed most of the entrances, except on the level that Joon's on. There's a utility closet at the far end of the side hall on the left. There's a door on the floor that opens into one of the tunnels." 

Doojoon looks at Howon, impressed. "But won't they have cameras at all the entrances and exists?"

"Only in the halls. But it doesn't matter, because if Joon can send a virus, he can also mess with the security cameras. Plus, the tunnels go on for miles and by the time we emerge, we'll be far away from the building." Howon grins at Doojoon. 

"It can't be that easy." Doojoon says. 

"It can. Except …" Howon stops and runs a hand through his hair. 

"Yeah?" 

"It has to be done when the guard is at the desk. If he's doing his rounds, there's a chance he'll walk by and see us. Plus, if Joon doesn't get his virus to work, then they're going to be able to figure everything out, especially how we escaped." Howon looks a bit pained. 

Doojoon offers him a slight smile. "I trust Joon. We can't just wait around forever." 

Howon nods. "So, when?" 

Doojoon frowns, glancing at his watch. "No today." He pauses, then looks at Howon. "I didn't tell you what happened. The newest … model they were working on exploded. You were called back because we're on lockdown." 

"I didn't know why, but I was told about the lockdown. Which means we have to wait." Howon sighs. 

"I don't know how long. But …" Doojoon trails off. 

Howon says nothing, but he nods in agreement. 

Doojoon glances at his watch again, sighing as he stands. "Time to report in." 

Howon stands and they walk back into the building, down the stairs and into the now-fully occupied break room. They don't need to report in, because Supervisor Jung is in the hallway. He ushers them, along with a few of their fellow guards, into the break room. He walks to the center of the room and clears his throat. Everyone turns, looking at him and silence descends. 

"We are on lockdown until tomorrow morning. Those of you who just came on duty, please report to level five. Everyone else, finish your shifts or take your overnight break here. Tomorrow morning at 0800 there will be a briefing before lockdown is released." Supervisor Jung looks around the room before going on. "There is a report on this evening's events in your email. Please read this before tomorrow's briefing. You are dismissed." 

The quiet of the room suddenly dissolves into a low hum of discussion. Howon catches Doojoon's gaze. He mouths 'tomorrow' at him and Doojoon nods. Then Doojoon takes his leave, he will attempt to sleep instead of serving the rest of his shift. As he codes out, he wishes he had a way to tell Joon, but just hopes that he can hack his way into the employee database again. He follows Howon and a few other guards down the hall toward the bunks where he's spent far too many nights. 

Tomorrow, he thinks, before he skims the briefing. As he drifts off to sleep, he imagines Joon's fingers in his hair and he's comforted by the thought that at this time tomorrow night, he could be free. That they could be free. 

**Joon**  
Hours pass before Joon realizes that Doojoon hasn't come back. He hacks his way into the security feed, it's not hard, and plays back footage of Doojoon and someone else (another part of the computer deep inside him identifies that as Lee Ho Won, the person Doojoon had mentioned). The video shows them on the roof, then down in the break room and then walking toward a room without cameras. It is labeled as sleeping quarters. Joon briefly distracts himself with memories of Doojoon asleep in his lap. 

Then he checks the logs, finding that Doojoon signed out for the night and Howon had signed out, hours earlier, then in again, before signing out a second time. Joon hacks into the employee email and reads the briefing that must've been sent to everyone. He dismisses it with a blink of his eyes and, secure in the knowledge that Doojoon has not abandoned (to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert) him, goes back to the virus. 

It took him several hours, longer than he'd liked, but he wanted to be sure that everyone was wiped, even the other version of himself. Especially them. It was easier to figure out a way to disconnect himself from GenTech. While he was hacking away, he discovered that the air around him, around them all, is filled with signals. Most of them he cannot pick up, but he identifies something called wifi (wireless, his computer tells him, is any system or device, as a cellular phone, for transmitting messages or signals by electromagnetic waves). He finds, much to his delight (a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; rapture) that he can connect himself to it. 

Deep within him is a modem, of sorts. It's part of his computer, the one that's filled with all the knowledge he could ever need (or so it says in his owner's manual, he doesn't agree because Doojoon's shown him there's more to life than just what's inside that computer). He sets it up, easily, the way to disconnect. It's linked with the virus. Once he disconnects, the virus will start to spread. It will begin slowly, at the individual computer level, but the further they get from GenTech, the faster it will spread. Until it reaches the servers, which will transport it to everything. Phones, computers, even the elevators. 

He has no idea how they are going to get away, though. He trusts in Doojoon, because there is nothing he else he can do. He believes that they will escape, that he can be free. That he will be allowed to be a person, a man. That he will be able to understand what it means to human (the human that Doojoon is convinced he is), even though he is not human at all. He gets lost, for a moment or several, reading about what it means to be human. He files novels, plays and movies away for another day. But he's briefly distracted by a story about androids who only live for a short lifespan. He knows he is not one, but there is such an ache in his heart that he cannot help but feel sympathy for these fictional androids. 

Eventually he finishes his appointed tasks. Doojoon is still asleep, as it is late. Joon puts himself into sleep mode, if only so he can recharge faster. He allows himself five hours, that should be sufficient. His computer will awaken him once the time has passed, unless there is an emergency or Doojoon speaks to him. The room around him dims, though it is because he is slipping into sleep mode. And then there is nothing. 

Joon does not gradually wake up, not like going into sleep mode. Instead, one moment he is in sleep mode, the next he is awake. The first thing he does is check the room, he is alone. The second is to check to see if there are any emergencies, there are none. The third is the time. It is exactly five hours later. He is fully charged and he is ready. He wishes there was a way for him to contact Doojoon, but there isn't. Instead he flips over to the video stream from the eighth floor, where Doojoon is. No one stirring, but their morning meeting isn't for an hour. 

He leans back against the wall, realizing that now he has to wait, like humans wait. He stares at the door and wishes that Doojoon would walk in and take him away. He doesn't like having to rely on someone else and after a moment he realizes he could probably reprogram the door to let him out. But he doesn't move. As much as he longs to be free, he longs to be free with Doojoon. There's a feeling hovering in him, pushing along his insides, sliding against circuits and wires and digging itself into his heart. He doesn't know what to call it, but it's there. 

An hour passes and Joon finds he doesn't even know what he did to pass the time. He checks his personal logs, but they are of no help. And, for some reason, this makes him smile. He is more human than GenTech could ever imagine. He watches the video feed and sees Doojoon, talking to the man known as Lee Ho Won. They are walking toward the break room. Joon checks the logs, but neither of them have logged on. Joon watches, but he doesn't know what the meeting is about. The video has no sound and he doesn't know how to read lips.  
It's over soon after and before Joon can see where the Doojoon went, he hears something outside the room. He stands and the lights brighten suddenly. He looks up, he hadn't even noticed that they'd gone dim. He walks toward the door and hears people talking, someone's shouting, but then there's laughter. It disappears down the hall, away from Joon. Toward the direction he came from when Lee Ho Won and Doojoon brought him down. There is only silence now and Joon returns to his bed. He thinks about calling the video feed up, but he doesn't. It would only waste his resources. Instead, he stares at the door and waits. 

He does not look at the clock off to his left. He does not want to know how much time passes. But eventually the door opens. Doojoon walks in and he is not alone.

"Lee Ho Won." Joon says, once the door is shut and the three of them are alone. 

Lee Ho Won looks surprised and glances over at Doojoon with an unreadable (at least to Joon) look. 

Doojoon smiles and it makes Joon want to smile, too. "Howon, this is Joon." Doojoon gestures at Joon. "Joon, this is my friend, Howon." 

"Howon …" Joon tries the name out and finds Howon smiling at him. 

"How did you know my name?" Howon asks. 

Joon glances at Doojoon and then back at Howon. "I was watching the security footage." 

"You can access that?" Doojoon asks, surprised. He walks over and sits next to Joon, so close that Joon can feel it every time Doojoon moves. 

Joon nods. "I can access everything." 

"Schematics?" Howon asks and sits on the floor, facing Doojoon and Joon. 

Joon nods again. 

"Can you look up the ones for this building?" Howon asks. 

Joon looks over at Doojoon. "Why?" 

"So we can leave." Doojoon replies and then reaches out, resting one of his hands on top of one of Joon's. 

"Him, too?" Joon asks, pointing at Howon. 

"Yes." Doojoon replies. 

Joon looks between the two of them and feels something, a feeling he doesn't understand. It makes him hurt in a bad way. But then he feels Doojoon's hand, squeezing his. He looks over at Doojoon and there is something reassuring (encourage, hearten, comfort) about the look on his face, the way his hand feels. Joon looks back at Howon. 

"What do you wish to know?" He lets his fingers curl around Doojoon's hand. 

"At the end of the hall, there is a closet. It's meant to have a door in the floor that leads to some tunnels that will take us outside." Howon replies. 

Joon nods, then closes his eyes. He doesn't have to, but he doesn't want to worry Doojoon if he stares blankly at nothing. He digs through the files he's accessed previously until he finds what he's looking for. Without opening his eyes, he draws a line that leads from his room to the closet, down the door in the floor and into the tunnel. He follows it outside the building and goes on and on. Then Joon's eyes fly open. 

"It is there." He looks at Howon, then over at Doojoon. "I am ready." 

Doojoon's hand tightens around Joon's. 

"Are you?" Joon asks. 

Doojoon nods, then looks over at Howon, who nods, too.

Joon gently frees his hand from Doojoon's and stands. "Then we can go now." 

There is silence around them and Joon is setting up his protocols for disconnection. He sees both Howon and Doojoon watching him, but he briefly ignores them. When he's finished, he blinks to bring them back into focus. 

"I will disconnect, one piece at a time. As I do, the virus will begin to spread. The further away from here we go, the further and faster the virus will spread." He looks at Doojoon before going on. "It will destroy everything. Including the … the other …" He stumbles over the words and Doojoon nods, reaching out and taking Joon's hand again, just briefly. 

"Let's go, then." Doojoon says. "It's time." 

Howon opens the door first, looking out, but the guard's on the phone. He doesn't even turn when Howon steps into the hall. Joon's at the door and he stops, turning around and looks back at his now-empty cell. He feels Doojoon's hand on him and he turns away. He imagines himself pressing a button and then he releases the virus. He briefly watches it begin it's destruction, starting with the cameras on this floor. He loops the video of the empty hall, over and over, but it won't matter because soon it will all be destroyed. And then he starts to disconnect as they walk down the hall. Howon glances over his shoulder a few times, but the guard doesn't even so much as turn around. And soon they are at the door. Howon picks the lock and Joon follows him inside, with Doojoon right behind him. 

The second door is harder, but they get it open, too. As they climb down the ladder to the tunnel, Joon takes the lead. Though Howon and Doojoon have flashlights (he doesn't even have to ask what things are anymore, he just knows, but sometimes he likes to read the definitions anyway), Joon's eyes can see in the darkness as if it was light. He superimposes the schematics in his head over the tunnel as they walk. The path seems simple enough, but long. Joon worries about Doojoon and Howon, but says nothing. 

In fact, they don't talk at all. The tunnel is almost silent, too. Long abandoned and dusty, but there's little here. A few small scurrying animals and insects. Joon files them away to learn about later, for now he just needs to keep walking. The further they get, the quicker his connection to GenTech disconnects. He imagines it as layers of wires peeling away, leaving a trail behind him. He likes that image because it means he is taking GenTech apart as he's leaving. 

They've been walking for two hours when a sound starts to echo in the distance, from behind them. Joon stops, turning back to see Doojoon and Howon stopping. Joon searches for a wireless connection and latches onto it. He searches, briefly, for any information on GenTech and finds a two line message. 

"Breach. Computers failing. Outside help is needed." He reads it out loud and then disconnects from the network. 

"That's the alarm?" Howon asks. 

Joon nods. "They know, now." 

Doojoon looks grim. "Are you disconnected?" 

"Completely." Joon replies. 

"How … how did you know, then?" Howon asks. 

"Wireless." Joon replies. "I can connect to any network."

For a moment there's silence, then Doojoon starts laughing. Howon joins in, but Joon does not. He doesn't understand what's funny. Doojoon looks up at him and then stops laughing. 

"Oh, Joon. I don't know why it never occurred to me, but over you can connect to wireless." Doojoon steps in and slides his hand into Joon's. "That's why it was funny. That and Howon and I are very nervous." 

Joon nods, unsure if he understand the humor, but he says nothing. Instead he just holds Doojoon's hand as they walk. They're as silent as before as they continue on. Another hour passes, then another. Joon announces that he thinks they have two more hours to go before they can surface. He looks at Doojoon, who looks tired, and Howon who looks the same. He tells them they can stop and rest, but neither of them want to. So they press on. Doojoon drops back, walking next to Howon. Then Howon walks up next to Joon, none of them talk, but company is nice (pleasing; agreeable; delightful). 

And then the two hours is up and they are at the end of the tunnel. Technically, Joon thinks, it's not really the end. The tunnel branches off in three directions. But what they want is to Joon's left. There's a ladder and some sort of door at the top. Doojoon goes first, with Joon next and then Howon. It takes longer than the other doors, but eventually they get it open. Sunlight streams in, but by the time they climb out, Joon realizes that it's not so much bright because it's day, but because they've been in the tunnels for so long. 

Howon shuts the door behind them and it disappears into the ground, almost as if it was never there in the first place. Joon takes a moment to look around. He has no reference for where they are. He takes a few steps and then has to sit down. Doojoon looks over at him and walks over, he sits down next to him. 

"Joon?" Doojoon's voice is quiet. Howon is looking at a map he pulled out of a backpack Joon didn't notice before. 

"I am … I am overwhelmed." Joon finally replies. He is, he thinks, overcome completely in mind or feeling.

Doojoon reaches out and slides his hand into Joon's. "It'll be okay. You're free now. They can't hurt you."

Joon doesn't know how true that is, but he knows Doojoon is right, they are away. He tries to come up with something to say, but doesn't have a chance because Howon interrupts, making them both look up.

"I think I know where we are." 

Both Joon and Doojoon stand. Doojoon walks over to Howon and Joon follows him. 

"Can't Joon just connect to the wireless and locate us?" Doojoon asks. 

Howon looks over at Joon, who shakes his head. 

"I could, but I do not know if they could use the GPS to find us. Like with your phones." He says, then looks at both of them, fear bubbling inside him. 

Doojoon touches his wrist. "We left them." 

Joon relaxes slightly. 

"We need to walk toward … hang on." He stops, looking at the map and then starts walking. "This way. It's this way." 

Joon and Doojoon follow and Joon wishes he'd called up a map so he could help. But he didn't, so all he can do is follow. He looks over at Doojoon. 

"Where are we going?" He asks when Howon is far enough ahead that he can't listen in. Not that Joon doesn't trust him, he just wants to talk to Doojoon, alone. 

"Howon's sister is an activist." Doojoon says, pausing so Joon can look up activist (advocating or opposing a cause or issue vigorously, especially a political cause). "She has a place where we can stay." 

Joon nods, thinking about the definitions he read. "Am I a political cause?"

Doojoon gives him a smile. "Perhaps to her, but not to me." 

Joon smiles back and then they just concentrate on walking. 

**Doojoon**  
He has no idea where they are, even though he's looked at Howon's map several times. He is worried about Joon running out of power, though he's not even sure how Joon recharges. And he's also worried about them, walking in the hot sun without so much as a bottle of water. His mouth feels dry and he's tired. He'd like to stop and sleep for a year, maybe soak his feet, too, which he can tell are blistering. But he doesn't stop. 

Every so often Joon looks over at him and Doojoon is comforted by the concern written across Joon's face. They haven't spoken much, except when they confer with Howon about where they're heading, but Doojoon can tell that Joon is changing. Has changed. Even before they left GenTech, Doojoon sensed the changed. He doesn't have to stop as much, to let Joon figure things out. But, even more, Joon just seems different. Older, more mature. 

It hasn't been long, two days, maybe a little longer. But Joon is more complete than most humans Doojoon has known. It fills his heart with something, maybe love, but he's not entirely sure. He rubs sweat off his face as he thinks, wishing for the hat he'd accidentally left in the flat he's never going to return to. He hadn't gone back, before they escaped. But he doesn't care. Everything he needs is right here, because all he needs is Joon. He shades his eyes with his hand and glances over at Joon, who is talking to Howon. Their heads are bent and they're whispering over the map. Doojoon feels jealousy fly through him, but he knows both of them better than that. And then Joon looks over at him, sending him a smile that makes Doojoon's heart flutter and he knows he doesn't have to be jealous. 

They start walking again and Joon slows, waiting until he's next to Doojoon before walking again. They don't talk much and Doojoon's grateful because it's hot and dusty and he's tired. He feels himself dragging, but Joon never complains. He just slows to keep pace with Doojoon. Howon eventually slows enough to walk with them as well. 

Time seems to pass slowly and Doojoon soon loses track of how much time has passed. And then, when he's just about to ask if they can stop, Howon shouts. Doojoon looks over and Howon's waving his arms wildly. 

Doojoon looks over, off toward the left and the setting sun. He sees a car, parked, and a couple of people. A woman is running toward them. Then Howon breaks into a run, leaving Doojoon with Joon. He watches as Howon and the woman, who Doojoon guesses is his sister, hug. Then Doojoon gently touches Joon's wrist. 

"C'mon." He says, softly. 

Joon says nothing, but follows in his quiet way. 

Howon is waving them over and when they get close enough, he introduces them to his sister. "Noona, this is my friend Doojoon and this is … this is Joon." 

Doojoon bows and out of the corner of his eye, he sees Joon doing the same thing. He has to hide his smile, but he's also proud of Joon. 

"Howon's talked a lot about you, Doojoon." She says. "And he mentioned something about … your friend?" She gestures at Joon. 

Howon interrupts. "Doojoon, Joon, this is my sister, Hyojin. She knows what you are, Joon. But don't worry, she won't turn you in." 

Doojoon glances over at Joon, who is looking at him with a look that could be fear. Doojoon steps over, standing close enough that their arms brush and he can visibly see Joon relax. He turns back to Howon and his sister. "It's nice to meet you."

She glances at him, smiling and then at Joon. Her smile doesn't fade, but he can tell she's trying to figure out their relationship. Doojoon doesn't want to have to explain, so he says nothing. After a moment, Hyojin turns away, apparently satisfied with whatever she was trying to figure out. 

"Let's go to the car. We need to get out of here." She says, gesturing for them to follow her. 

They get into the car, without an introduction to the driver. Joon sits behind the driver, with Doojoon in the middle and Howon behind his sister. They chat constantly, catching up Doojoon thinks. The driver says nothing and Doojoon finds himself fading fast. His eyes drift shut and then he feels Joon's hand on him, gently pulling at him until he's leaning against Joon's shoulder. He lets himself sleep, because it's easier than trying to think about what he's done. 

The next thing he knows, Joon is shaking him awake. His eyes are wide, but not with fear. Doojoon rubs the sleep out of his own eyes and looks around. They climb out of the car and he realizes they're in the city. Not one of the colonies, but an actual city. They are few and far between, huge and sprawling, but full of life. Doojoon likes the look on Joon's face as he takes everything in. They can't stay here for long, GenTech will be looking for them. They need to get to the colonies to be safe, but for now, this will have to do. 

"Come with me. We have a safe house not far from here, but we have to walk." Hyojin says, bringing Doojoon back to the present. 

Joon holds out his hand and Doojoon takes it. He feels comforted by Joon's hand around his. It's soft, like his own, but far more solid. 

They walk in silence again, following Howon and his sister. The driver has long since gone, taking the car with him. Fifteen minutes later they reach a street with townhouses lining either side. Doojoon curls his hand tighter around Joon's as they walk. And then, in front of a nondescript looking house, Hyojin and Howon stop. 

She glances back, making sure they're still following, and then opens the gate, walking up to the front. A man, old and gray, opens the door. He doesn't so much as glance at them as they trail inside. But instead of stopping, Hyojin walks them through the house and out the back, which is lined with trees. Doojoon looks around, but all he can see are trees. 

Joon's tugging at his hand and Doojoon realizes he's stopped and he starts walking again. Following them through the dense trees in the backyard and into an alley. They walk for another five minutes before stopping at what looks like a garage. Hyojin pulls out a key and unlocks a huge lock on a gate and ushers them in, staying outside to lock the gate again. Before she goes, she leans in and gives Howon a hug. She whispers something to him and then disappears. 

"This is it." Howon says, turning away from the fence. He gestures toward the house and they follow him inside. 

There's no one there, but the house is furnished. Doojoon looks over at Howon, who shrugs. 

"They use it all the time, it's a stopping point for people who want to get to the colonies but don't have papers." 

"Like us." Doojoon says. 

Howon nods and then walks into the main room. "There are bedrooms upstairs, a fully functional kitchen and a working TV with internet." 

"You're not staying?" Joon asks, speaking for the first time in a very long time, Doojoon realizes. 

Howon looks surprised, but just shakes his head. "I can't." 

Doojoon looks at his friend, surprised. "Why not?" 

"It's not safe. For either of you and for me. You need to go to the colonies, someone will come and take you there, with forged papers. But I can't go with you." 

Doojoon feels Joon stepping in close, his hand curled against Doojoon's hip. 

"Are you going to join your sister?" Doojoon asks. 

Howon nods. "Someone will be here to pick me up in a few minutes." He swallows and Doojoon realizes that he's only barely holding it together. 

"Thank you." Joon says, suddenly, startling both Doojoon and Howon. They turn, looking over at him. "For helping us escape." Joon adds after a moment. 

Howon grins, suddenly, the smile lighting up his face. "You're welcome. Thank you for helping bring down GenTech. My sister said you should both watch the news tonight." 

Doojoon nods and then, on impulse, crosses over to Howon. "You take care of yourself."  
He feels Howon hug him back and for a moment he thinks that they're both going to break down, but Howon pulls back first. 

He swallows a few times. "You take care of each other, all right? And one day, when everyone is free, we'll meet again." 

Doojoon manages a nod and tries not to feel fragile. But then Joon's hand is in his again and he feels better, grounded. Alive. He watches as Howon turns away from them, walking out the front door. He stops, turning back just before he reaches the front gate and waves. Doojoon lifts his hand, waving back and glances at Joon and sees he's doing the same. They stand, in silence, watching until they can no longer see Howon.  
Then Doojoon feels his legs start to give and he remembers he hasn't had anything to eat or drink in hours. Joon catches him, guiding him to the couch. He doesn't ask what Doojoon needs, but disappears for a few minutes, returning with a glass of water and some food. He sits on the couch next to Doojoon and watches him while he eats. 

"What do we do now?" He asks. 

Doojoon thinks about this while he finishes his water. "We wait." 

Joon doesn't say anything, just takes the empty glass to the kitchen and fills it again. He returns, setting it in Doojoon's hand. 

"For the man who will help us get to the colonies?" He finally says. 

Doojoon nods. 

They fall silent again. Doojoon shifts until he's leaning against Joon. They sit that way for a long time and Doojoon feels his eyes start to close. He's tired, exhausted really. He feels Joon's arm around him and lets himself drift off to sleep. 

It's dark when he wakes again. He finds that Joon hasn't moved. His head is bowed and Doojoon remembers that this is how Joon looks in sleep mood. He doesn't say anything, at first. He just reaches out and brushes hair out of Joon's eyes. He briefly traces a finger along his jaw, lightly as if he's afraid to wake Joon up. Then he pulls his hand back. 

"Joon." He whispers, softly. 

Joon's head lifts, his eyes snap open and he sees Doojoon and smiles. "You're awake." Doojoon nods as Joon reaches over and touches Doojoon's face. "You are real, this is all real. We are not there anymore." 

"Were you worried?" He asks, concerned. Or maybe just curious. 

Joon shakes his head. "I was just verifying." 

Doojoon smiles and leans in, pressing a kiss against Joon's cheek. "We escaped. We are free." 

Joon smiles and Doojoon watches the smile spread to his eyes. "GenTech is in trouble now." Joon says into their comfortable silence. 

"How do you know?" 

Joon smiles again. "This house has wireless. I checked the news. Howon was right, we should watch it tonight." 

Doojoon's eyebrows shoot up. "How bad was the damage?" 

"Everything." There's no gloating in Joon's tone and Doojoon knows, without even having to guess, that he's thinking about all his other selves, the previous versions and those yet to be created, who will be no more. But then Joon speaks again, before Doojoon can figure out what to say. "But we are free." He pauses, and then, "they are free, too." 

"The … others?" Doojoon asks. 

Joon nods. "They will never be used to hurt people. 

Doojoon nods, realization dawning on him. "We did the right thing." He says, quietly, shifting until he's facing Joon.

"I know." Joon's studying him and it makes Doojoon blush a little, but he tries not to duck his head. 

"You don't have to stay here with me." Doojoon says, suddenly. He isn't really sure why he said it. He doesn't want Joon to leave, but he has to accept that Joon is free now. No one owns him. 

Joon looks at him, with a familiar look of fear on his face. 

Doojoon reaches out, taking both of Joon's hands into his own. "You're free. You can do whatever you want." 

"What if what I want is here?" He asks, softly. 

"Then you should stay." Doojoon replies. 

"You want me to stay?" 

Doojoon nods. 

"That is what I want, also." Joon shifts, leaning in and pressing his mouth against Doojoon's. The kiss is light, wonderful and Doojoon falls in love with him all over again. 

Doojoon gets more food and settles onto the couch, resting against Joon. They watch the news, which is filled with violence and stories Doojoon would like to pretend aren't real. But then, the top news story appears as promised. GenTech is no more, all their research was destroyed and the government is going to begin an inquiry into the illegal use of artificial intelligence. The program ends and Doojoon shuts the tv off. When he looks over, he sees Joon is watching him. 

"Are you all right?" He asks. 

Joon stands, pacing a little. He blinks several times and Doojoon resists the urge to ask what Joon's thinking. 

"I was not meant to exist." Joon finally says. 

Doojoon stands. "But you're here. You're …" He waves his hand, between them. "You're you. If something happened to you, you'd die. You're a person, just like me. You can feel. You exist." 

There's emotions warring across Joon's face and Doojoon waits. He's scared, a little, that Joon might decide he shouldn't exist. But then Joon's speaking, his face the familiar calm that Doojoon loves so much.

"I do not wish to die." A long pause and Doojoon holds his breath without even realizing. "I wish to live. I …" A grin spreads across Joon's face. "I was not meant to want, but I do. I want so many things." Another pause and he steps in, closing the distance between them. "I want to be with you, Yoon Doo Joon." Pause and it makes Doojoon's heart flutter. "I want you." 

And then Joon's kissing him and Doojoon is kissing him back. He's pressing into Joon, kissing him harder. They break apart, but only to make their way upstairs. The house is dark around them, but Doojoon doesn't care. Once they're upstairs, his hands are under Joon's shirt, pushing it up. His fingers against Joon's skin, it's both warm and cool at once and Doojoon finds it strangely wonderful. 

They fall into bed, naked and Joon is flawless. Doojoon's skin is pale in comparison, full of flaws; scars and signs of aging. But Joon has none of those. And then Joon's fingers are sliding over him, tracing all his lines and scars. Doojoon arches under Joon. They kiss more, bodies sliding against each other. 

Doojoon shifts, pressed up against Joon's side. He lets his hands explore Joon's body, along all his perfect curves. Fingers around his perfectly formed cock. So like Doojoon's own and yet so different. And then they're kissing, Joon's pulling Doojoon on top of him and they're not fucking, but it's so close. Joon is hard against Doojoon and arching under him. He moans softly and Doojoon no longer cares what Joon is, except right here, with him. Joon comes first, shuddering under Doojoon. There is no mess, just reaction. And then Doojoon comes, messy and sticky. Joon's arms around him, holding onto him. 

He nuzzles Joon, clinging to him. And he falls asleep that way. When he wakes, the room is still dark and Joon is still there, under him. He's cooler, but Doojoon doesn't mind. He shifts, sliding off of him. He's sticky, but he doesn't get up. Instead, he pulls a sheet over them. He crawls into Joon's arms again, knows Joon's awake because his arm tighten around him, and then he goes back to sleep.

 **Joon**  
When Doojoon falls back asleep, Joon puts himself into sleep mode for a few hours. When he wakes up, Doojoon is still asleep. Joon reaches out, running his fingers along Doojoon's face. He traces, every so lightly, along his jaw, before resting his hand on Doojoon's shoulder. 

Sex (the instinct or attraction drawing one sex toward another, or its manifestation in life and conduct), he thinks, was better than he expect. He is human, although not completely. He can feel, but he could never make children, if that's what he wanted to do. But it's not important. And Doojoon wasn't bothered, either, which was all that mattered to Joon. He wanted to do it again and again, he liked the way he felt. But even better, he liked the way it seemed to make Doojoon feel. 

The darkness wraps around them, comforting Joon. They are together, no matter what. He can live like this, forever. He knows that Doojoon will die, but he will stay by his side. He closes his eyes, focusing on the fact that they are together and not on the future. He cannot control what happens in ten or even twenty years. But he can be happy (characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy), right now, and he can make Doojoon happy. And that is enough. 

Doojoon shifts, but does not wake, and Joon sets himself to sleep mode. For a few hours or until Doojoon speaks. And it is Doojoon that wakes him. His name on Doojoon's lips, against his face. When Joon opens his eyes, Doojoon is watching, smiling. 

"Hi." Doojoon whispers. 

Joon leans forward, kissing Doojoon and feels him smile into the kiss. 

"Did you sleep well?" Joon asks. 

Doojoon nods. "I had a strange dream." He pauses and then shrugs a little, "but I can't remember it, though." He looks at Joon, thoughtfully. "Do you dream?" He asks, after a moment.

Joon smiles, shaking his head. "I do not sleep, not like you," he says softly, "so I do not dream. But if I did, it would be of electric sheep."

Doojoon laughs, a soft and beautiful (wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying) sound. Then he reaches out and slides a finger along Joon's face. He presses his fingers against Joon's jaw, tipping his head up. Then he leans in and kisses him. Joon's whole body feels like it's vibrating, though he's not moving at all. He opens his mouth a little and feels Doojoon sliding his tongue into his mouth. And they kiss like this, for so long that Joon loses track of everything else. When Doojoon pulls back, Joon feels that ache, deep within him. The feeling that's wrapped itself around his heart. He opens his eyes and finds Doojoon watching him. 

"You asked me, once, what love was." Doojoon says, his voice suddenly loud in the quiet of the bedroom. "It's a feeling, that you have here." Doojoon presses his hand against his own heart, then against Joon's. "It's ... it's how you feel for someone else. A feeling bigger than yourself." Doojoon stops, then sighs a little. "I don't know if that even makes sense." 

Joon shifts, covering Doojoon's hand with his own. "It is the ache I feel when you are not close. It is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment." He quotes a sentence that floats across his vision until he blinks it away. 

Doojoon smiles and opens his mouth to speak, but Joon doesn't let him. Instead, he leans forward and presses his mouth against Doojoon's. He kisses him the same way this feeling in his heart, this love he finally understands, makes him feel. When he pulls back, Doojoon's breathless. 

"It is how I feel about you." Joon whispers. "That is love."


End file.
